Different isn't Evil

 From the Swietlistej Drogi Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Mirrors of the Heart, Uniqueness:

          This king is honest and thoughtful; he doesn't make any decision or answer anything impulsively. The tip of his sword rests on the ground, implying that he channels everything through the filter of facts, evidence, and experience. While he will acknowledge that an individual can have a particular encounter in a particular situation, he's not willing to take a wide brush and generalize that to everyone. The Uniqueness card is a reminder that just because someone is different or unusual, it doesn't make them bad or wrong. In the words of Maya Angelou, "It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength."

Don't Run, Don't Hide

From the Tarot of the Radiant Path, the Tower; from the Mirrors of the Heart, "Uniqueness:"

          Unlike most Tower cards, the fellow in the Radiant Path is trying to run from the disaster. What he thought was going to protect him turned out to be a handicap. Yesterday I was introduced to a new phrase during an online retreat - "spiritual bypassing." First coined by psychologist John Welwood in 1984, it is the use of spiritual practices and beliefs to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds, and developmental needs. Robert Masters writes: "The trappings of spiritual bypassing can look good, particularly when they seem to promise freedom from life's fuss and fury, but this supposed serenity and detachment is often little more than metaphysical valium, especially for those who have made too much of a virtue out of being and looking positive." We think we are walking an authentic spiritual path, while really it is a way to run from our pain and suffering. But spirituality is about connection not disconnection. Which transitions to the Mirrors of the Heart card and makes me think of the NA expression "terminally unique." Yes, we all look different on the outside and have distinct talents and knowledge. But what happens when I compare my insides to your outsides? I feel unique - and not in a good way. What we all have in common is what goes on inside: the joy of accomplishment, the shame of failure, the grief of loved ones lost, the desire to be loved and belong, the wish for good health and happiness. If we are running from our experiences, we have nothing to share with another other than platitudes. Instead I can accept and surrender, taking Welwood's advice: "track the process of present experiencing, following it closely and seeing where it leads. ...unpack the beliefs, identities, and feelings that are subconscious or implicit in what you’re experiencing. When we bring awareness to our experience in this way, it’s like unraveling a tangled ball of yarn: different knots are gradually revealed and untangled one by one."

Strange Birds

From the Swietlistej Drogi Tarot, the High Priestess:

My first impression of this card was that it looked like a combination of the Magician and Hermit, but not much like a High Priestess. However the wolf made me rethink things a bit. Wolves don't actually howl at the moon, rather they use such vocalizations for communication. And that is exactly what the High Priestess represents - guidance (communication) from an inner resource. Just as the wolf's howl starts deep within, so too is where the information she wishes to share is found. But the light shining from her hands reminds me the wisdom is not just for meditation; I need to use it out in the world. There may be others who might benefit if I were willing to share it.

From the Mirrors of the Heart comes the card "Uniqueness:"

The phrase "what a strange bird" aptly describes this card. It is definitely a one-of-a-kind animal. Yet it's hard to think of myself in the same way - as unique. As much as I would like to, I don't think I'll be the one who ends world hunger or creates peace in the Middle East. But what if we all held a special piece of the puzzle, a necessary piece that could help make such wonderful things happen? Perhaps we're each more unique and important than we realize, even if it is in small ways.